Statement from Shetland Fishermen’s Association

December 13th 2017

December Fisheries Council

Shetland Fishermen’s Association chairman Leslie Tait said that while the deal struck at the December Fisheries Council was fairly positive for the whitefish fleet, European fisheries ministers had rubber-stamped an "absurd" cut in the pelagic sector's mackerel quota and had again demonstrated the worst of EU fisheries management. He added that fishermen were looking forward to the day when the UK took control of its own waters.

“We are sick and tired of the political horse-trading over fishing opportunities that goes on every year," he said. "This has nothing to do with proper fisheries management. We need to get out of the Common Fisheries Policy on Brexit Day One and start making sensible decisions as soon as we can.

"The day cannot come soon enough when the UK can assert control over its waters and negotiate as an independent Coastal State from a position of strength."